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June 1, 2001
An IT Planning Guide: Integration of IT into Teaching and Learning
By Larissa Brenner
Teaching styles are varied and it's up to each individual teacher to find a way of integrating instructional technology (IT) into teaching and learning that compliments his or her teaching style. The templates and examples Larissa provides are a demonstration of how IT can further engage students in their studies and extend them by providing them with different contexts and perspectives to analyze information, reason and present their own ideas. Use the templates as they are or modify them to suit your needs. The most important thing to remember is that IT is enjoyable and exciting. The more you use it the more you will see the benefits, and you and your students can experience the joy and excitement of learning together.
The following information and resources have been designed to help teachers integrate IT into their classrooms in a simple yet effective way. Included is:
An Example of IT in One Classroom (Brief Overview)
Teacher: Larissa Brenner
Grade: 5/6
Introduction: I believe that every teacher should use IT in their classrooms to compliment their individual teaching styles and programs. IT should make teaching and learning easier, not harder.
My Structure: Each day I provide structured time for a literacy block, a numeracy block and an integrated learning block based on a theme. The theme I am currently teaching is 'Australia'.
How I use IT to support my structure:
- Literacy: During Literacy time I allow the children to:
- Use Microsoft applications to refine thinking, express creativity and publish work.
- Visit specific Internet sites chosen to compliment the concepts being covered in literacy. These are added to Favorites.
- Use the Internet to research specific topics.
- Receive and send E-mail.
- Explore literacy-based CD-ROMS.
- Participate in Online Projects which encourage reading and writing.
- Numeracy: During Numeracy time I allow the children to:
- Use Microsoft applications to present mathematical findings in a variety of forms.
- Experiment with graphics to enhance spatial awareness.
- Visit specific Internet sites chosen to compliment the concepts being covered in numeracy. These are added to Favorites.
- Explore numeracy-based CD-ROMS.
- Participate in Online Projects that encourage a greater understanding of numeracy.
- Thematic studies: During thematic studies I allow the children to:
- Use Microsoft applications to present ideas relating to the theme in a variety of forms.
- Use the Internet to research the topic.
- Visit specific Internet sites chosen to compliment the theme. These are added to Favorites.
- Explore CD-ROMS related to the topic.
- Participate in Online Projects that foster a greater understanding and new perspective of the topic.
Groups: Each member of my class has equal access to computers throughout the week. I make sure everybody has three timetabled blocks of time per week, one in each of the three areas of Literacy, Numeracy, and Integrated Studies. They follow the 'Student IT Tasks' for this area in this time. (See below.)
Ethics/Discipline: The computer is a tool for learning and is not considered a treat. It isn't used as a reward but to extend learning. Equal access is vital. If children are misbehaving during their computer time, consequences apply but banning them from the computer is not an option. If children misbehave in writing we don't ban them from writing. I use my regular Classroom Discipline Plan with consequences and apply it to computer time as well. I always run a course on computer ethics at the beginning of the year and have very few problems throughout the rest of the year as a result. It's also important to make sure school security is efficient and that filtering software is in place. I have found Edunet to be a fantastic resource for tracking children's online activities and filtering inappropriate sites.
IT Planning Guide (Template)
Teacher:
Grade:
Date:
Unit Title:
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
What:
How:
SOFTWARE:
What:
How:
INTERNET:
What:
How:
ONLINE PROJECT:
What:
How:
This planning template has been designed as a brief starting point for integrating IT into teaching and learning by enhancing the unit of work you are teaching.
Larissa Brenner
2001
IT Planning Guide (Example Filled In)
Teacher: Larissa Brenner
Grade: 5/6
Date: Feb. 2001
Unit Title: Australia
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
What: Word, Publisher, Powerpoint, and FrontPage
How: Publishing own Australian stories in a number of different formats. Making a Powerpoint presentation on Australia for children to view from schools around the world. Making a class Web site on Australian Heroes. Pairs of students can focus on a hero each and produce a page each to be part of the site.
SOFTWARE:
What: Ingenious
How: Children will solve hot problems in Australian science
INTERNET:
What: State Forest Kids
How: By following the adventures of Serge and Kim, children learn about Australian forests. Ferals, animal waste, and woodwork are highlights.
What: "Search"
How: Children use Search engines to research different aspects of Australia.
ONLINE PROJECT:
What: 'Welcome to my Country' project
How: Students create Powerpoint presentations relevant to "Welcome to my country." They swap presentations with children around the world.
This planning template has been designed as a brief starting point for integrating IT into teaching and learning by enhancing the unit of work you are teaching.
Larissa Brenner
2001
Thematic Studies - Student IT Tasks (Template)
Choose one or more of the following tasks!
Teacher:
Grade:
Date:
Theme:
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
SOFTWARE:
INTERNET:
ONLINE PROJECT:
This planning template has been designed as a brief starting point for integrating IT into teaching and learning by enhancing the unit of work you are teaching.
Larissa Brenner
2001
Literacy - Student IT Tasks (Template)
Choose one or more of the following tasks!
Teacher:
Grade:
Date:
Focus:
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
SOFTWARE:
INTERNET:
ONLINE PROJECT:
This planning template has been designed as a brief starting point for integrating IT into teaching and learning by enhancing Literacy.
Larissa Brenner
2001
Numeracy - Student IT Tasks (Template)
Choose one or more of the following tasks!
Teacher:
Grade:
Date:
Focus:
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
SOFTWARE:
INTERNET:
ONLINE PROJECT:
This planning template has been designed as a brief starting point for integrating IT into teaching and learning by enhancing Maths.
Larissa Brenner
2001
Thematic Studies - Student IT Tasks (Example Filled In)
Choose one or more of the following tasks!
Teacher: Larissa Brenner
Grade: 5/6
Date: Feb. 2001
Theme: Australia
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
Publish an Australian story you have written using Word.
Make a Powerpoint presentation titled "Welcome to My Country" to introduce overseas children to Australia.
Use Publisher to present information obtained from a Web site (See task under INTERNET:)
Make a Web page about your favorite Australian hero using FrontPage.
SOFTWARE:
Explore the CD-ROM "Ingenius" to solve scientific mysteries as you progress.
INTERNET:
Look up the Web site: State Forest Kids. See what you can find out about Australian forests. Present your findings creatively using Publisher.
Use your favorite search engine and research one of the following topics: Australian animals, Australian environment, Australian authors and illustrators, Australian history.
ONLINE PROJECT:
Compare Powerpoint presentations on the topic: "Welcome to My Country." Send email to students around the world who sent us their presentations to discuss the outcomes and to compare cultures.
Literacy - Student IT Tasks (Example Filled In)
Choose one or more of the following tasks!
Teacher: Larissa Brenner
Grade: 5/6
Date: Feb. 2001
Focus: Editing Skills
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
Use red and green lines in Word to identify spelling and grammar mistakes in writing.
Make a Powerpoint presentation on "Editing and Revising your work." Include key points on spelling, expression, descriptions, grammar, presentation, and proof reading.
SOFTWARE:
Explore the CD-ROM "Carmen Sandiego Word Detective." You will learn all about spelling, grammar, and vocabulary, as well as gain dictionary and reference skills.
INTERNET:
Find out about sentences, paragraphs, and punctuation and how to edit your work using the following site: Sentences, paragraphs and punctuation.
ONLINE PROJECT: (Our platypus travels the world)
Send an email to the class who is hosting our traveling platypus. See what you can discover about their country as well as finding out how Mrs. Platypus is going. Edit your email before you send it. Do a spell check and grammar check. Ask a friend to read through your email to give you some advice on adding extra details to your message and make suggestions for improvements.
Numeracy-Student IT Tasks (Example Filled In)
Choose one or more of the following tasks!
Teacher: Larissa Brenner
Grade: 5/6
Date: Feb. 2001
Focus: Measurement
MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS:
Choose one of the following words used in measurement: density, capacity, mass, volume, depth, duration, perimeter, circumference, diameter or area. Use Microsoft Word to make a poster to explain and illustrate the word. Include WordArt for your heading, a typed definition, a sentence including your word, a clip art illustration, and a border.
SOFTWARE:
Explore the CD-ROM "Maths Around Us." It will encourage you to apply your knowledge of measurement to real life problems.
INTERNET:
Lemonade Stand Visit "Lemonade Stand" to run your own business. You make all of the financial decisions and find out whether your business is successful or not over 30 days. You will learn a lot about money and how to use it wisely.
ONLINE PROJECT:
World Weather Watch Visit the World Weather Watch project site and check out the World Weather Watch Automated Results. Find our class's results and use them to do some global comparisons. Enter the General Discussion Area to discuss your findings. You may also like to email your buddy from our partner class to discuss the results.
Email: Larissa Brenner
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